Reading Proverbs – 29:23 Sitting in the High Chair

August 29th, 2009 by Steve

[caption id="attachment_704" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The Great Banquet"]The Great Banquet[/caption]

One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.– Prov 29:23

Humility is the virtue, not arrogance or assumption. We often want ‘what’s coming to us’ – perhaps we should think more about hoping that we don’t get what we deserve. Jesus surely had the sentiment of this verse in mind when He saw the pushing and shoving for the best places at a feast:

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” – Luke 14:8-11

… and when He gave the Sermon on the Mount He thought of it again:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Mat 5:3

The poor in spirit recognize that (1) they bring nothing to the feast; (2) they are invited by Love’s Grace alone, and (3) they deserve only to sit at the farthest end from the high table, if there. In such humility God delights, for He can use that person within His kingdom – so He invites that person to the head table, to a seat of honor.

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Posted in Bible, Christian, God, Life, small group | 1 Comment »

One Response to “Reading Proverbs – 29:23 Sitting in the High Chair”

  1. Mike Roots (Mike Killiany) Says:
    August 29th, 2009 at 10:49 pm

    Excellent Steve! Your thoughts are very humbling and at the same time produce great gratitude. I am thankful for what you’ve shared here as I can surely use a good dose of humility and refocusing.
    Have a bless-ed evening,
    Mike
    .-= Mike Roots (Mike Killiany)´s last blog ..Proverbs 29:13 =-.

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